The present invention relates to turfgrass varieties having desirable looking turf when mowed infrequently. All publications cited in this application are herein incorporated by reference.
Turfgrass plays a major role in our daily life. Turfgrass, from a beautification standpoint, provides a canvas for landscaped areas contributing to aesthetic appeal and adding to economic value. Recreational facilities include an array of sports fields, golf courses, parks and lawns. Turfgrass also provides functional value including dust control, erosion control, and glare reduction.
Use and appearance are prime considerations for turfgrass. To best serve a particular function, the turf should be suitable for the use for which it is intended and aesthetically appealing. It should also be well-adapted to the environment where it will be planted. Based on climatic adaptation, turfgrass species have been placed into four categories: adapted for cool humid regions, warm humid regions, cool arid regions, and warm arid regions. The major turfgrasses adapted to the cool humid regions, and irrigated areas of the cool arid regions, are species of Agrostis, Poa, Festuca, and Lolium. In the warm humid and irrigated areas of the warm arid regions, the major adapted turfgrasses are species of Cynodon, Zoysia, Stenotaphrum, Eremochloa, Paspalum, Festuca, and Agropyron. In the non-irrigated warm arid regions, species of Buchloe and Bouteloua are adapted.
Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), also called smooth meadow grass, spear grass and June grass, is a perennial species of grass native to Europe, northern Asia and the mountains of Algeria and Morocco. Although the species is spread over all of the cool, humid parts of the United States, Kentucky bluegrass is native only to portions of North America. Kentucky bluegrass forms a valuable pasture plant, characteristic of well-drained, fertile soil, and is a popular sod-forming grass that is used on golf courses, ski slopes, campsites, gardens and lawns. Kentucky bluegrass is also an important forage species for sheep and cattle. The name Kentucky bluegrass derives from its flower heads, which are blue when the plant is allowed to grow to its natural height of two to three feet.
Over 100 varieties of Kentucky bluegrass have been developed during the past 25 years. Some varieties tolerate southern climates better than others, some have moderate shade tolerance, and some tolerate closer mowing. Many of these grasses also differ in their degree of susceptibility to diseases. Kentucky bluegrass is distinguished from Canada bluegrass (Poa compressus) by its darker green foliage, longer leaves, and pubescence at the bases of the leaves. Kentucky bluegrass can also be compared to Annual Meadowgrass (Poa annua) and Rough Meadowgrass (Poa trivialis), which have a ligule that is silvery and pointed, whereas Kentucky bluegrass has a ligule that is extremely short and square ended.
Kentucky bluegrass is often included in seed mixes that are used to revegetate roadbanks Kentucky bluegrass is a slow-growing plant that establishes in 2 to 3 years and forms a dense sod. Kentucky bluegrass grows best on well-drained loams or clay loams rich in humus and on soils with limestone parent material. Kentucky bluegrass needs large amounts of nitrogen during active growth stages and has an optimal soil pH of between 5.8 and 8.2. Additionally, Kentucky bluegrass is intolerant of drought, excessive flooding high water tables, and poorly drained soils, and is sometimes vulnerable to fungal infections including Fusarium, Helminthosporium, leaf spot, rust and powdery mildew.
Kentucky bluegrass typically grows 18 to 24 inches tall and is readily identified by its boat-shaped leaf tip. Kentucky bluegrass spreads by rhizomes and tillers and forms a dense sod. New shoots (rhizomes and tillers) are produced primarily in the spring and late summer. Most shoots produced in the spring remain vegetative, while shoots produced in late summer often terminate in an inflorescence the following spring. The lifetime of a Kentucky bluegrass shoot that terminates in an inflorescence ends soon after the seeds mature.
Because use and appearance are prime considerations for turfgrass, it is desirable to have turfgrass varieties that can be less frequently mowed (defoliated) and still produce an attractive, green lawn turf.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification.